Everyone in the country is familiar with Orlando, Florida as the center for all things fun. Going to Disneyworld has been stated as a rite of passage for each child in the U.S. Once there, the number of incredible and over the top theme parks can simply be overwhelming. Sports enthusiasts from everywhere in the country find a variety of teams in Orlando, with special pride in the basketball, baseball, soccer and ice hockey teams. But did you know that there is a controversy as to where the city’s name actually came from?
There is little in the Orlando, Florida area regarding evidence of habitation prior to the settlements of the Europeans. Native American tribes were scattered throughout Orlando and a few arrowheads have been found. The name Jernigan was given to what is now known as Orlando, named after the first cattle rancher that settled in the area. Starting in 1835, the controversy over the origin of the current name begins. There are stories that state the city is named after a soldier that defended the settlement in a Native American Indian attack. Later tales relate that the name is from a different individual who was a cattle rancher and major land owner that also defended the area. Descendants are adamant about their ancestral relationship to Orlando, but records cannot confirm all of the claims.
Orlando was considered a more back water area of the state; undeveloped and mostly unsettled until the Civil War era. Orlando was part of the blockade against the Union troops and indeed experienced almost near devastation. In the late 1800’s, the citrus crops that flourished brought about an era of reconstruction and new wealth to the residents. The balmy weather also brought Orlando the notoriety as a resort during the Spanish American War and WW I era. The real estate boom of the time ended with a combination of hurricanes and the Great Depression.
The U.S. Army Base that was built in Orlando brought in a number of service men and their families that made the choice to stay in post-service term. The base itself offered an expansion of homes and businesses that also brought in various aerospace industries.
It wasn’t until 1965, when famed Walt Disney brought hundreds of acres of land in the Orlando area for his theme park that the explosion of population occurred. The DisneyWorld theme park catapulted Orlando into unprecedented prosperity. This theme park would be a more enhanced version of the smaller one in Anaheim, California, and businesses and industries lined up to participate in the business venture.
Roads and interstate highways were expanded to accommodate the onslaught of tourists vying to experience the fantasy and enjoyment that Disney created. Additional theme parks were added to create the largest area in the world solely devoted to family entertainment. The Orlando airport became an International airport, as people from around the world jockeyed for position in line to arrive. The local citizens take great pride in their sports teams, building fields, stadiums and high tech electronic scoreboards. Many may be familiar with the Orlando Magics basketball team, but other high quality teams call their home in Orlando covering a wide choice of sports.
The Orlando of today has the largest tourism records in the United States, and, even during poor economic times, offers the State of Florida incredible revenue. The people of Orlando have the luxury of some of the best technology in the nation and that equates to their true love of sports, where you will find only the best for their team scoreboards. Disney remained true to his dream to also give the people an area of fun but not to destroy all of the natural beauty of the area. Acres have been set aside to attempt to keep an ecological balance and the Disney Company has a requirement of recycling and green efforts that set the standards for all other corporations.